Acoustic instruments rely on mechanical means to create and amplify sound. Acoustic guitars, for example, use strings, held under tension, and placed over a cavity. When vibrated, the strings transmit some of the energy of the vibration into the saddle, which then transmits energy into the bridge. Some of this energy is then transmitted into the hollow body of the guitar, where the air molecules in the body begin to vibrate. The sound is then passed out to the listener through the opening in the body of the guitar. No actual amplification of the sound occurs. The guitar is built to convert the energy of the string vibration into sound in a somewhat optimized way.
There are limits to this mechanical amplification. The efficiency of energy transfer from the strings to the body of the guitar depends on such factors as the method of bridge attachment and the quality of wood used to make the guitar. Characteristics of the guitar body will also affect the transfer of energy. Guitars can be built to have exceptional sound quality and energy transfer. These guitars can be very expensive and well outside the range of affordability of many players. Options to improve the sound creation of average guitars are limited, despite that people of more modest means may equally appreciate quality sound from a musical instrument.
Although guitars are identified here as an area of need for the present invention, the invention may be practiced on a range of acoustic instruments for which a targeted amount of sympathetic vibration may improve sound quality, including basses, banjos and non-string acoustic instruments.
There is a need for an easily attachable device suitable to capture more energy from string vibration to produce a louder, higher quality sound from acoustic instruments. There is a further need for such a device which can be installed either in new instruments or as an aftermarket improvement.